Granite Bay JV lacrosse coach steps down

Tim Lloyd/Roseville Press TribuneGranite Bay?s JV lacrosse players whoop it up with coach Scott Donaldson as they pose for a team photo following his last game. Donaldson is stepping down after four years with a 69-1 record.

Tim Lloyd/Roseville Press TribuneScott Donaldson, addressing his Granite Bay JV lacrosse team, says he?ll miss the camaraderie with the players. Donaldson is stepping down after four years with a 69-1 record.

Tim Lloyd/Roseville Press TribuneScott Donaldson walks through a tunnel of Granite Bay varsity and JV players, their lacrosse sticks held high, following Thursday?s JV match against Jesuit. Donaldson?s JV squad completed another undefeated season, and he retired after four years with a record of 69-1.

The Grizzlies executed aggressive cuts to the net, coupled with crisp passes that led to open players and quick goals. For most teams, it was one of those rare games where almost nothing went wrong.

But for Granite Bay, it was the final game for head coach Scott Donaldson, who stepped down after four years at the helm with a 69-1 record.

“I’m gonna miss the guys the most — being around the players, the team environment, just that whole thing,” Donaldson said. “I love the camaraderie of the guys. That’s the biggest part for me.”

Donaldson played lacrosse at Chico State and then became a youth and club team coach in the Granite Bay program. He eventually took over the JV program and found instant success by preaching a hardnosed style of play.

“I teach my guys to play hard from the first whistle to the last whistle, no matter what the score is,” Donaldson said. “We try to play with class, as hard as we can, no matter what happens. We don’t panic. We’ve been in some stressful situations at times, and we’ve been able to come back and win.”

His experience with the club and youth teams gave Donaldson a special camaraderie with his players.

“He has the aggression and the drive as a coach to get the players involved,” assistant coach Charles Raub said. “He’s very well organized on the field. He’ll be greatly missed. He started his career with the club teams, so he coached all the way up. He knows them all. He knows how they think, how they play. He knows all the guys, on every team.”

With his son graduating from Granite Bay, Donaldson felt it was the right time to retire. The varsity and JV squads gathered at midfield to congratulate him.“It just felt right to pass the torch,” Donaldson said.

Raub will take over as head coach. He brings 15 years of lacrosse experience, and after a yearlong apprenticeship under Donaldson, is ready to take on the challenge of replacing a local legend.

“I definitely want to help the lacrosse community of Sacramento grow,” Raub said. “I want to keep the Granite Bay program going strong and be there for the kids. Watch them grow, and watch them foster, in this great sport.”